Covid 19 coronavirus: Fiji imposes new curfew after reporting 1285 cases, 9 deaths in 24 hours

As of yesterday, Fiji's main island of Viti Levu is under a 6pm to 4am curfew. Photo / Fiji Govt

By RNZ

Fiji's main island of Viti Levu has been issued with new curfew hours amid the worsening Covid-19 crisis in the country.

As of yesterday, the new curfew hours are from 6pm to 4am.

The Government also reported a daily record 1285 cases of Covid-19 and nine deaths in the 24 hours to 8am yesterday.

That compares to 626 cases and nine deaths in the previous 24-hour period.

Health Secretary Dr James Fong said all but two of the victims were unvaccinated.

• An 82-year-old woman from Tamavua in the capital Suva died at home on July 23.

• A 57-year-old man from Nadawa in Nasinu died at home on July 24.

• A 34-year-old man from Nadera, Nasinu, presented to the Colonial War Memorial Hospital in severe respiratory distress on July 26. His condition worsened in the hospital and he died two days later.

• A 52-year-old man from Raiwasa, Suva, presented to the CWM Hospital in severe respiratory distress on July 10. His condition worsened at the hospital and he died 15 days later on July 25.

• A 45-year-old woman from Samabula, Suva, presented to the CWM Hospital in severe respiratory distress on July 16. Her condition worsened at the hospital and she died seven days later.

• A 73-year-old woman from Naitasiri presented to a health facility in severe respiratory distress on July 23. But her condition worsened at the health centre and she died on the same day. Her family reported that she had a cough, generalised weakness and shortness of breath for one week prior to visiting the health facility.

• A 72-year-old man from Naitasiri died at home on July 25.

• An 89-year-old woman from Narere, Nasinu, presented to the CWM Hospital emergency department in severe respiratory distress on July 26. Her condition worsened in the hospital and she died hours later.

• A 74-year-old man from Tacirua died at home on July 25.

"There have now been 195 deaths due to Covid-19 in Fiji, with 193 of these deaths during the outbreak that started in April this year," Fong said.

The seven-day rolling average of deaths per day is eight.

"There have been 24,354 cases during the outbreak that started in April 2021. We have recorded a total of 24,424 cases in Fiji since the first case was reported in March 2020, with 6191 recoveries.

"There were 3095 tests reported for 24 July. The national seven-day daily test average is 3530 tests per day or 4.0 tests per 1000 population. The national seven-day average daily test positivity is 22.8 per cent."

Fong said as of 25 July, 441,171 adults in Fiji had received their first dose of the vaccine and 97,268 had had both jabs.

"This means that 75.2 per cent of the target population have received at least one dose and 16.6 per cent are now fully vaccinated nationwide."

With testing remaining high, more positive test results, and increasing cases being reported in Fiji's west, Fong said the ministry expected average daily case numbers to remain at a high level and possibly to increase.

Fiji now has more than 18,000 active Covid cases in isolation.

- RNZ